Earring having a spring pressed ball clamp



June 14, 1955 A. W. BALDWIN EARRING HAVING A SPRING PRESSEZD BALL CLAMP Filed March 28, 1.952

IN V EN TOR. ALA/V n. BALDWIN A TTOPNEVS United States Patent EARRING HAVING A SPRING PRESSED BALL CLAMP H 7 Alan W. Baldwin, Washington, D. C.

Application March 28, 1952, Serial No. 279,095

' 2 Claims. (Cl. 63-14) The present invention in its more general aspects relates to an earring clasp designed to firmly secure the earring against accidental loss to the wearer, and more specifically,

to an earring clasp which embodies automatic clamping self-locking features to assure positiveclarnping action of the earring to the lobe of the ear.

, The self-locking earring clasp of the present invention is particularly adapted to solve the problem of securely attaching the earring to the lobe of the car by means of frictionalclamping, requiring relatively light pressure contact, and including provision for a self-locking feature utilizing a frictional device which gives increased and persimple manipulation of the thumb or forefinger of the wearers hand.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient means for easily and firmly securing an earring piece to the lobe of the ear, and to prevent possible loss of said earring by means of a self-locking frictional clamping device, whereby any unintentional removal or accidental tendency for the earring to drop off the car will automatically result in the securing action to increase its clamping effectiveness.

Another object of the invention is to provide an earring clasp which will firmly secure an earring to the lobe of the ear by means of an automatic self-locking frictional device which is dependent upon only relatively slight pressure against the lobe of the ear to allow for positive and secure clamping thereon, but provides for increased clamping action in the event that unintentional removal is attempted.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will appear from the following detailed description; taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which illustrates the manner of constructing and using illustrative embodiments of the invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is an inside elevation of the device of the present invention showing the improved clamping and securing means;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device shown in Fig. l in the secured position on an ear lobe and illustrating the frictional locking ball member in section;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view similar to Fig. 2 showing the operation of the securing means in the retracted position;

Fig. 4 is an inside elevation of a further embodiment of the invention with the arm 11 removed for clarity;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the device shown in Fig. 4 in the secured position on an earlobe, and

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Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the device shown in Fig. 5 with the pivot standards removed for clarity.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1-3 of the drawing, wherein like numerals indicatezlike parts throughout the several views, 10 indicates generally the earring of the present invention, having attached to the back thereof a generally U-shaped clamping member 11 having a substantially vertical leg 12 on which is fastened an ornamental ear piece 13 and a substantially angularly slanting leg 14, the upper end thereof being'closer to the vertical leg 12. Mounted on the angularly disposed leg 14 is ball member 15 which is urged to the extremity thereof by a spring 16. The upper endof this angularly disposed leg 14 is flattened, or made larger as at 17, to prevent the ball member 15 from coming off. The lower end thereof is also flattened as at 18 or is made larger to prevent the spring 16 from slipping around the bottom portion 'of the U-shaped member 11. Preferably, as shown, the

shaped clamp 11 to effectively widen the gap at the narrow end thereof, thus permitting the insertion of the lobe of the car 19. Upon insertion of the ear lobe 19 into the gap of the U-shaped member 11, the action of spring 16 urges the ball member 15 upwardly along the'angularly disposed leg 14 causing the effective gap between this member and the substantially vertical leg to become narrower, thereby causing a wedging, frictional clamping action between the ball member 15, the ear lobe 19, and the vertical side of the U-shaped clamping member 11. Preferably, the ornamental ear piece 13 on the vertical leg 12 is provided with an abutment or rounded protrusion 21) to cooperate with the ball member 15 in providing more secure and relatively painless clamping action on the sides of the ear lobe.

The automatic self-clamping action of the earring clasp of this invention is provided for by means of the spring 16 which urges the ball member 15 into frictional engagement with the lobe of the ear 19 at all times. The frictional contact thus tends to further urge the ball member 15 to the upper extremity of the angularly disposed leg 14 of the U-shaped clamping member 11, effectively narrowing the gap within which the ear lobe is present, and

resulting in a more secure clamping action in the event the earring is subjected to unintentional or accidental separation from the lobe of the ear.

The positive and eflective clamping action provided by the U-shaped clamp 11 and the ball member 15 with the spring action 16 mounted on the angularly disposed leg 14 of the clamp may be eifectively released for desired removal of the ear lobe 16 by depressing the ball member 15 with the thumb or finger of the hand as illustrated by Fig. 3.

Referring now to Figs. 4-6, there is illustrated a modification of the present invention employing a pivot connection indicated generally at 21, between the angularly disposed leg 14 and the vertically disposed leg 12 to provide a snap-lock and/or a snap-release action. In the form shown the pivot connection 21 comprises a pair of parallel vertical hinge standards 22 secured to the vertical leg 12 and preferably integral therewith, as by forming the leg 12 and the standards from a single strip of sheet metal stock or of molded plastic. A leaf spring member 23 is secured at its upper end to the leg 12 and is angularly disposed downwardly in the direction of the hinge pivot and terminating at its lower end in a key portion 24 for snap-locking engagement with the pivot end abutment 27 of the pivot portion 26 of the leg '14. The pivot portion 26 is pivotally mounted in the hinge standards, as by means of a pivot shaft 28. Preferably the end of the spring 23 is provided with a downward extending tab or finger portion 25 to permit ready disengagement of the key portion 24 from the locking engagement with the pivot abutment 27 It will be apparent that various modifications may be utilized by those skilled in the art in carrying the present invention into practice and it is intended that all such modifications and departures as come within the spirit and scope of the appended be included as coming within the purview of the present invention.

I claim:

1. An earring comprising a substantially U-shaped member having a base portion and two leg members, said U-shaped member being adapted to carry an ornamental portion and adapted to receive an ear lobe, the free end portions of said leg members being in closer proximity than their base end portions, :1 bearing member, one of said leg members extending through said bearing member so that said bearing member is slidably mounted thereon, resilient means to urge said hearing member toward the free end of said leg member, said resilient means comprising a coil spring member mounted concentrically about the bearing carrying leg and means at the base end of said bearing carrying leg to prevent said coil spring from sliding to the base portion of said U-shaped member and stop means mounted on the free end portion of the leg member extending through the bearing member to prevent said bearing member from passing the free end thereof.

2. An earring comprising a substantially U-shaped member having a base portion and two leg members, said U-shaped member being adapted to carry an ornamental portion and adapted to receive an ear lobe, the free end portions of said leg members being in closer proximity than their base end portions, one of said leg members being straight, at ball-shaped bearing member, said straight leg extending through said bearing member so that said bearing member is slidably mounted thereon, resilient means mounted on said straight leg urging said bearing member toward the free end thereof, said resilient means comprising a coil spring member mounted concentrically about said straight leg and means at the base end portion of said straight leg to prevent said coil spring from sliding to the base portion of said U-shaped member; stop means mounted on the free end of said straight leg to prevent said bearing member from passing the free end thereof and a cushion positioned adjacent the free end of the other leg of said U-shaped member and adapted to contact the ear lobe.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS l,287.-067 Markham Dec. 10,1918 1,973,282 Brush Sept. 11, 1934 2,354,610 Plosky July 25, 1944 2,383,237 Buick Aug. 21, 1945 2,400,513 Jellinek May 21, 1946 2,452,796 Skibsteb Nov. 2, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS 294,228 Great Britain June 21, 1929 

